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EMIGRATION  T&  LIBERIA, 


AN  ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


merican  Colonization  Iociety, 


January  21,  1879. 


Genl.  S.  C.  ARMSTRONG, 


Principal  of  Hampton  Institute,  Virginia. 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST. 


WASHINGTON,  CITY  : 

Colonization  Building,  450  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 
1879. 


NORMAL  SCHOOL  STEAM  PRESS,  HAMPTON,  VA. 


EMima&H'MM  TQ  MBERM . 


AN  ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


American  Colonization  .Society, 


January  21,  1079. 


Genl.  S.  C.  ARMSTRONG, 

Principal  of  Hampton  Institute,  Virginia. 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST. 


WASHINGTON,  CITY: 

Colonization  Building,  450  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 
1 87  9. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/emigrationtolibe00arms_2 


ADDRESS. 


What  is  the  sentiment  of  the  colored  people  of  this  country,  the  South 
especially,  in  respect  to  making  the  United  States  their  home,  and  in 
respect  to  emigration  to  Liberia  ? 

A few  evenings  ago,  I asked  of  the  over  two  hundred  young  colored 
men  and  women  who  have  come  from  thoughout  the  land,  principally 
from  the  South,  to  the  Hampton  school  for  an  education,  what  they 
thought  of  going  to  Liberia.  A dozen  hands  went  quickly  up.  I in- 
quired of  each  one  the  ground  of  his  idea.  A variety  of  reasons  was 
given  that,  I believe,  fairly  illustrates  the  status  of  the  negro  mind  on 
the  Liberia  question. 

One  young  man  had,  in  the  spirit  of  Christian  discipleship,  consecrat- 
ed himself  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  in  that  land ; several 
felt  that  in  this  country  the  negro  never  will  be,  as  they  expressed  it, 
“free;”  that  the  black  man  is  and  will  be  far  from  being  free  to 
all  that  is  open  to  the  white  man,  and  that  only  in  a land  of  their 
own  can  they  be  on  even  terms  with  all,  and  find  the  freedom  which 
they  seek. 

The  students  had  heard  of  coffee  culture  in  Liberia  and  of  other  in- 
ducements to  go ; but,  on  the  other  hand,  some  were  awaiting  letters 
from  friends  who  had  gone  over  promising  to  write  how  they  got  on, 
but  had  never  been  heard  from ; some  had  heard  of  great  havoc  among 
emigrants,  and  there  was  a general  sense  of  insecurity  and  uncertainty 
as  to  that  country. 

One  fair-skinned,  bright  girl  had  an  uncle  who  had  organized  sixteen 
churches  in  Liberia  and  was  full  of  hope  and  enthusiasm . She  meant 
to  go  as  a missionary;  other  young  women  had  the  same  idea;  the  great 


4 


majority  had  no  thought  of  emigration,  and  many  had  decided  notions 
against  the  Republic. 

As  a whole,  the  students  of  Hampton  expect  to  remain  in  this  coun- 
try, their  idea  being  expressed  by  one  who  said  “The  colored  man 
is  better  off  here  than  anywhere  else  in  the  world.” 

Our  students  have,  more  than  once,  been  addressed  by  prominent 
Southern  men  who  have  said  to  them,  in  effect:  “Many  of  you  are 

Virginians;  we  must  work  together  to  build  up  this  Commonwealth. 
We  believe  in  this  work  of  education;  you  shall  have  your  share  of  the 
school  money  and  we  will  protect  you  in  your  rights.” 

This  is  the  tone  of  progressive  men  at  the  South,  and  their  strength  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that,  at  least  in  Virginia,  no  Democratic  candi- 
date dares  venture,  in  his  canvas  for  election  to  office,  to  denounce  the 
public  school  system. 

The  intelligent  colored  men  and  women  who  are  honestly  working  for 
the  real  welfare  of  their  people  in  the  Southern  States,  are,  so  far  as  I 
know  about  them,  winning  the  respect,  good-will  and  moral  support  of 
the  people  of  all  classes,  and  in  spite  of  many  discouragements,  are  gen- 
erally cheerful  and  contented.  Even  the  average  freedman  does  not  care 
to  change  his  home.  Yet,  in  some  quarters,  there  are  grievous  com- 
plaints of  hard  times,  poor  pay  and  bad  treatment,  which  create 
a desire  for  a place  where  living  may  be  easier. 

It  would  be  strange  if  among  the  four  millions  of  Anglo- Africans 
there  were  not  men  of  honest  purpose,  and  good  capacity,  anxious  to 
try  a country  of  their  own.  The  missionary  idea  is  gaining  strength 
every  year.  The  little  company  of  graduates  from  negro  schools  in 
America,  one  of  them  from  Hampton,  who  are  doing  excellent  work  at 
the  Mendi  Mission,  under  the  American  Missionary  Association,  near  to 
Liberia,  is  proof  that  the  peculiar  field  of  the  enlightened  freedmen  of 
this  country  is  not  forgotten. 

The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  in  Bos- 
ton is  looking  to  the  South  for  men  to  enter  the  grand  field  opened  up 
by  Stanley  whenever  the  means  shall  be  in  hand ; and  I do  not  think  it 
will  seek  in  vain. 

Twelve  years  ago  an  earnest  but  unsuccessful  effort  was  made  by  that 
Board  to  secure  colored  missionaries  for  Africa ; yet  there  were  many 
scores  of  educated  negroes  in  the  Northern  States. 


5 


We  are  likely,  I believe,  to  find  in  the  South  the  finest  products  of 
Anglo-African  civilization,  a better,  simpler,  more  straight-forward  de- 
velopment. Thence,  not  exclusively  of  course,  will  go  across  the  sea 
the  men  who  will  best  illustrate  to  the  world  the  capabilities  of  their 
race.  White  men  will  get  a large  part  of  the  money  that  is  to  be  made 
from  African  trade,  but  I have  faith  that  colored  men  will  do  their  full 
share  in  the  work  of  regeneration  waiting  to  be  done  there,  the 
need  of  which  is  the  most  piteous  “Macedonian  Cry”  that  ever  was 
sent  over  to  Christendom. 

Africa — Liberia  as  one  of  its  open  doors — is  the  field  for  an  Anglo- 
African  crusade.  No  other  region  is  for  a moment  to  be  thought  of 
compared  with  this.  Just  as,  in  the  Providence  of  God,  his  people  are 
set  free,  and  the  young  and  earnest  and  able  among  them  are  rising  to  a 
plane  of  Christian  manhood  and  womanhood,  the  wonders  and  resources 
of  the  Dark  Continent  are  unfolded.  Who  doubts  the  final  triumph  of 
right  over  wrong  in  the  carrying  back  there  of  the  very  Christ  to  build 
up  whose  Kingdom  the  slave-hunters  were  unconscious  agents. 

But  there  must  be  men  and  women  of  pure  devotion  and  lives,  'of 
clear,  wise  heads,  and  endowed  with  common  sense.  The  requisition 
for  common  sense  will  be  the  hardest  to  fill. 

Among  our  colored  people  there  is  a discontented  class ; on  edge  with 
things  here ; much  occupied  with  its  grievances,  and,  those  of  this  class 
who  are  plucky  and  adventurous,  are  disposed  to  try  the  Colored  Re- 
public. 

As  things  are  here,  the  finer  the  cultivation  of  a colored  man,  the 
keener  his  sufferings — especially  in  the  North,  where  his  mental  and 
moral  wants  are  so  lavishly  supplied,  but  his  social  cravings  neglected, 
and  his  tinted  skin  is  a taboo  from  congenial  association.  I think  I 
am  right  in  stating  that  their  advanced  culture  in  America  tends  to 
skepticism.  The  old  religious  nature  is,  to  an  educated  negro,  with- 
ered by  the  pain  that  comes  from  finding  that  that  which  God  made, 
his  complexion,  is  as  a sign  set  against  him  a — mark  of  degradation. 

Yet  among  the  colored  people  themselves  there  is  a prejudice  of  color, 
here  unobserved,  because  overpowered  by  that  of  the  whites  which  lumps 
together  under  its  ban  the  purest  black  and  the  clearest  white  (provided 
a few  drops  of  negro  blood  can  be  traced  to  the  latter,)  and  by  making 
common  cause  between  them  forces  them  into  one  social  body.  Remove 


6 


this  pressure  from  the  outside  and  those  of  pure  and  mixed  blood  become 
mutually  jealous;  the  latter  assuming  a superiority  by  reason  of  the 
■white  or  “Norman  ” blood  in  their  veins,  and  the  pure  being  proud  of 
their  purity.  This  is  illustrated  in  Jamaica  where  the  whites,  col- 
ored and  blacks  are  completely  severed  socially.  A trustee  of  Libe- 
ria College  told  me  that  this  question  had  given  some  trouble  in  the 
appointments  at  that  institution,  and  it  appears  in  Liberian  politics. 
Going  over  there  is  not  entire  escape  from  prejudice  of  color. 

There  was  evinced,  in  my  conversation  with  the  students  at  Hampton, 
much  curiosity  about  Liberia.  They  represent  a class  of  negroes  who 
take  a very  matter-of-fact  view  of  that  country;  they  wish  to  “better 
themselves,”  and  in  their  pinching  poverty,  and  in  the  money  famine  of 
the  South,  turn  eagerly  to  brighter  prospects. 

Wise,  just  treatment  of  the  colored  laborer  in  the  South  is  far  from 
universal.  I never  saw  or  heard  of  a successful  Southern  farmer  who 
did  not  believe  in  negro  labor  as  “the  best  in  the  world;”  yet  one  of 
the  leading  agricultural  journals  says,  “We  are  cursed  with  negro 
labor.” 

The  “ darkey  ” is  a convenient  scapegoat  for  those  who  want  to  blame 
somebody  if  ends  don’t  meet.  Good,  kind  management  and  wise  di- 
recting heads  are  indispensable  to  success  with  colored  workmen,  and 
that  they  don’t  always  get ; the  latter  depend  very  much  for  the  value 
of  their  labor  upon  favorable  outward  conditions,  the  frequent  absence 
of  which  is  to  be  expected  in  their  circumstances. 

Liberia,  as  giving  to  the  enterprising  but  discontented  or  ill-treated 
negro  laborer  scope  and  challenge  for  all  his  powers,  is  a most  impor- 
tant factor  in  reconstruction.  It  is  simple  justice,  very  inadequate,  but 
so  far  as  it  goes  is  a recognition  of  his  claim  to  try  the  land  he  was  torn 
from. 

Thirty  years  ago,  statesmen  like  Clay  and  Webster  talked  of  the  na- 
tion’s debt  to  the  negro,  and  this  inspired  the  Colonization  scheme, 
which  commanded  a strong  support  from  the  South.  After  slapping 
the  abolitionists  in  the  face  with  their  talk  of  right  and  wrong,  a later 
generation  freed  the  slave,  as  a war  measure  enfranchised  him,  used  his 
vote  as  political  capital,  and,  after  squandering  it,  have  left  the  burden 
of  his  education  and  improvement  to  the  old  slave-holders.  The  ac- 
count has  not  yet  been  squared.  It  is  as  true  to-day  as  it  was  thirty 


7 


years  ago  that  there  is  debt  to  the  race  brought  here  by  violence  and 
wrong,  and  a part  of  that  debt  is  a fair  chance  in  the  land  of  their  fathers. 

A difficulty  in  the  Liberian  question  is  the  negroes’  self-distrust.  The 
race  has  sadly,  perhaps  inevitably,  adopted  the  white  man’s  idea  of 
itself.  It  has,  as  a whole,  no  enthusiasm,  no  idea  or  sentiment. 

It  lacks  organizing  power,  guiding  instincts.  It  has  no  genius  for 
throwing  and  keeping  uppermost  its  best  and  ablest  men ; it  has  plenty 
of  feeling,  but  no  flow  of  it,  no  tendency  to  any  clear  and  general  end 
or  purpose.  Such  tendency  is  developed  slowly,  by  long  experience,  by 
endless  struggle  with  difficulty  ending  in  victory,  and  that  the  citizens 
of  Liberia  have  just  commenced.  The  ex-slave  is  not  easily  allured  to  a 
country  ruled  by  his  own  people.  I have  an  impression  that  the  Libe- 
rians are  lacking,  like  the  race  here,  in  esprit  de  corps , in  patriotic  sen- 
timent and  in  strong  administration. 

There  should  be  accorded  to  the  freedmen  the  widest  opportunity  to 
make  for  themselves  homes  on  African  shores  if  they  choose  to  try  it. 
I rejoice  in  the  existence  of  the  Colonization  Society,  believing  in  its 
work,  the  founding  of  an  African  Republic.  I believe  in  it  as  a begin- 
ning not  as  an  end;  a hopeful  beginning;  a good  showing  for  thirty 
years  of  effort.  It  is  not  a power ; but  is  it  not  a germ  of  power  ? Gen- 
erations alone  can  answer  this.  To  disparage  it  by  contrast  is  to  re- 
proach the  negro  for  being  unfortunate.  It  were  better  to  blame  the 
Almighty  directly  for  His  doings  in  permitting  suffering,  injustice  and 
misfortune  to  exist. 

Give  the  negro  a chance.  You  don’t  despise  the  tottering  steps  of  a 
little  child:  time  and  hard  knocks  only  can  bring  strength.  Let  the 
black  man’s  slender  self-respect  stiffen  by  struggle,  and  his  race  pride 
gain  by  race  effort.  In  the  United  States  it  is  a curse  to  be  black ; the 
highly  educated  negro  is  like  a man  without  a country.  Help  him  to 
make  one  for  himself. 

The  African  race  has  been  pushed  suddenly  from  the  depths  of  bond- 
age to  the  highest  liberty ; it  has  skipped  centuries  in  the  line  of  devel- 
opment. On  its  unaccustomed  height  it  is  confused  ; it  is  in  its  own 
way ; easily  victimized  by  bad  men,  and  troubles  are  inevitable. 

Genuine  progress  is  slow,  and  is  the  result  not  so  much  of  struggle,  as 
of  successful  struggle.  The  thing  must  not  only  be  attempted,  but  it 
must  be  done,  and  there  should  be  a century  in  which  to  do  it. 


8 


When  a Northern  man  recently  asked  me  “Have  the  colored  people 
improved  in  morals  in  the  past  ten  years,”  I asked  him,  “ Has  New  Eng- 
land improved  in  morals  in  the  past  ten  years  ? ” Every  stage  of  civili- 
zation has  its  peculiar  difficulties  and  nations  forge  slowly  ahead. 

Progress  is  a moral  rather  than  a material  thing.  All  that  is  good  in 
civilization  is  “The  sum  of  the  sacrifices  of  those  who  have  gone  before 
ns.” 

The  African  question,  at  bottom,  is  whether  there  will  be  enough  men 
and  women  of  that  race  who  shall  unselfishly  and  wisely  devote  them- 
selves to  its  welfare.  Whatever  shall  be  fine  in  their  future  will  rest  on 
this  foundation  of  sacrifice. 

Has  Liberia  the  men,  or  can  she  get  them  from  here  ? With  them  her 
future  is  assured,  and  she  will  move  Africa. 

Ten  such  men  would  save  her. 

The  Colonization  Society  claims  much  for  its  success  so  far.  Consid- 
ering that  it  has  planted  exotic  ideas  where  men  have  for  ages  been  fixed 
in  the  lowest  conditions,  the  Republic  may  be  considered  a wonder. 
Compare  it  with  the  early  stages  of  our  own  country’s  growth  and  there 
is  nothing  to  discourage. 

We  know  too  little  about  her.  The  roll  of  pamphlets  sent  me  to  read 
contains  no  exhaustive  statement  of  facts,  but  general  expressions  of 
praise.  I never  felt  really  informed  about  Liberia  till  I read  the  letters 
of  Mr.  Williams,  correspondent  of  the  Charleston  News  and  Courier , 
whose  mingled  criticism  and  commendation  made  the  Republic  appear 
like  any  new  terrestrial  region,  full  of  advantages  and  of  disadvantages. 
For  the  first  time  I found  what  an  intelligent  man  would  say  against  it. 
There  is  need  of  a fair,  forcible  account  of  that  country,  with  maps  and 
pictures,  that  shall  be  to  the  colored  man  what  a chart  is  to  a sailor — a 
guide  to  success  and  a guard  against  disaster. 

How  about  colored  communities  in  the  United  States  ? 

A colony  composed  of  the  450  manumitted  slaves  of  John  Randolph 
was,  in  1846,  placed  in  Miami  County,  Ohio.  “They  suffered  much  at 
“first  from  prejudice,  yet  soon  found  kind  friends.  While  producing 
“nothing  remarkable,  the  old  have  died  off  and  the  new  generation  has 
“made  considerable  advancement.  They,  however,  owe  more  to  exter- 
nal influences  than  to  inherent  qualities.”  This  statement  I gleaned 
from  an  apparently  reliable  letter  to  the  New  York  Tribune. 


9 


There  are  negro  communities  of  which  I have  no  definite  knowledge,, 
notably  one  or  two  in  Canada;  but  all,  I believe,  were  established  by 
an  influence  from  without.  Certainly,  in  America,  the  negroes  show  no 
tendency  in  themselves  to  segregate. 

They  drift  to  the  cities  in  throngs,  where  their  mortality  increases  and 
their  self-respect,  as  a class,  seems  to  diminish. 

In  a simple,  industrious,  country  life,  the  freed  men  gain  in  numbers 
and  in  average  prosperity  and  worth. 

Against  this  background  of  life  in  America,  stands  Liberia,  attempt- 
achievements  whose  success  its  record  here  makes  doubtful. 

Let  us  wait  and  see  the  negro  on  his  own  ground,  on  his  own  resour- 
ces, blundering  away,  but  slowly  learning  from  his  blunders — as  we  all 
do  — getting  experience  and  digesting  it.  Let  the  negro  race  maintain 
a respectable  republic,  and  it  will  furnish  the  best  possible  answer  to 
the  charge  so  often  made,  “The  negro  has  done  nothing.” 


I 


